


You Got a Friend in Me

by seascribble



Category: Men's Hockey RPF
Genre: Cultural Differences, Friendship, Gen, Islam, team parties
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-10
Updated: 2020-05-10
Packaged: 2021-03-03 04:40:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,050
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24109126
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/seascribble/pseuds/seascribble
Summary: EJ puts a lot of work into making the new guys feel welcome, especially Naz.
Comments: 20
Kudos: 98





	You Got a Friend in Me

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to Inlovewithnight for helping me and also for 75% of the jokes.

It's not that Erik doesn't trust the other guys to be welcoming. They're good guys and the Avs room is one of the best. But everybody is missing Tyson, tender around the edges of the gap where he should be, and Erik wants to make sure that none of the new guys feel like they're supposed to fill that gap. They're not, and they can't, and Erik isn't going to let that mess up what they're building here. It's good, and he's going to keep it that way. Gabe is busy getting ready for the baby, and Erik doesn't have anything to do but sit and rest his stupid shoulder. So he starts planning.

Bellemare and Donskoi are easy; he can delegate them to Sammy and Mikko, fellow countrymen or at least speaking more or less the same language. He'll touch base with Alty down in Loveland, make sure Rosen has everything he needs down there just in case. That just leaves Kadri. Easy, in some ways--no language barriers, already set up with housing thanks to Tyson, but Erik doesn't want to make assumptions and misstep. He needs to do some reading.

He gets Kadri's number from Tyson, sends him the same welcome to the team boilerplate that all the guys got, probably the same thing they got from Gabe. He checks in on the new baby, who is too small and wrinkled and red to be cute from what Erik has seen on Insta--on the cat's insta, and that is pretty cute--but he's not an asshole, so he pretends to think she's adorable.

 _if there's anything u need, let me know,_ Erik texts. _there are a couple of mosques not too far from the can and a halal butcher in Mack's neighbourhood._

 _thanks man,_ Naz texts back. _cant wait to meet the guys_.

**

The shoulder is slow and stubborn to heal, so EJ has a lot of time that summer to read. He learns about Ramadan and pillars and jihad and a frankly disturbing amount about islamophobia. He sends the kids things to read so they don't make dumbasses of themselves.

_fine update: giving anybody shit about not drinking is a fine_

_????????????????_ JT texts back.

 _its for 91,_ Josty explains. _the book of muslim says no booze_

Thank fuck the new guys aren't in the team group chat yet.

_fine update: referring to the quran as "the book of muslim" is a fine_

He's going to have to learn to pronounce Qur'an before training camp so he can keep the kids in line.

**

Training camp goes great, from a locker room perspective. The new guys work hard and pay attention, and the team welcomes them with open arms, pretty much literally. EJ had worried a little about Naz and Nate, but then Naz brings his baby--who is finally starting to look kind of cute--to an optional skate and lets Nate hold her, and just like that, the Dogg's friendship is won.

Gabe is ready to host the annual end of summer party at his place, but EJ goes over his head and texts Mel to offer to host himself, since she's so busy with getting the nursery finished. Gabe pouts, but doesn't argue. It gives him a chance to focus on baby shit and Erik's never seen a guy more excited to order tiny little baby clothes and miniature furniture than Gabe.

The end of summer party is for families too, so Erik has fun putting together menus for the kids and the vegetarians and Mack's stupid gluten free no-dairy thing. He texts the new guys to find out what they and their families like, and because Naz didn't give him specifics and EJ didn't want to make things weird, he makes sure that everything with beef and chicken is halal. Can't hurt.

Drinks aren't a problem; he gets a list of decent non-alcoholic mixers from Mel and adds sparkling water and non-alcoholic beer to the virgin drink coolers for her and Naz. He can't figure out if the beer and mixers are technically okay for Naz to drink or not, there are so many opinions on the internet, but hopefully it's a nice gesture.

___fine update: the non-alcoholic booze at team functions is for non-alcoholics. abuse of this policy is a fine_ _ _

___Literally no one wants to drink non-alcoholic booze,___ Cale texts, with a string of vomiting emojis, and the group chat is immediately inundated with the rest of the kids yelling in capslock about fines.

__**_ _

EJ has a good feeling about this season, going into the home opener. It's weird, without Tys and Kerf, but the new guys have done their work and the team is in a good place, and EJ's feeling is proven right through the first few games. It's fucking awesome.

They get helped to victory by the kids and the new guys, night after night of the initial home stand, and Erik loves this team and the Pepsi Centre and Denver so much his chest feels raw with it, like there's so much love in there it's straining at the seams. Tomorrow is a travel day, so they're going out to celebrate Frankie's first NHL win and Naz's first goal in burgundy and blue and Burky's OT beaut.

"I scored too," Josty says, not quite whining. "Somebody should buy me a drink!" Erik obliges by having the waiter bring him a Shirley Temple.

Frankie and Burky both opt for vodka, boring, and nobody asks Naz what he wants because they are good respectful boys that EJ has raised right and instilled the fear of fines into. But the waiter brings him a pink, fizzy drink with petals floating in it. "Pomegranate rosewater virgin spritzer?"

"Uhm. Thank you?"

EJ would be shocked if rosewater is a staple behind the bar at their post-game hangout, and wonders which one of the guys is responsible. Naz seems to enjoy the drink, leaning over to toast Burkie, Frankie, and Josty with a broad grin.

"Goal mubarak!" Nate crows, crashing the toast with his own highball glass, and Naz laughs until spritzer comes out his nose. Erik makes a mental note to text the group chat that Nate has fine amnesty for a week.

He definitely has a good feeling about this season.

**Author's Note:**

> "Mubarak" means "blessed" and is used to celebrate Ramadan and Eid by saying "Ramadan/Eid Mubarak!" kind of like "Happy New Year." Nate is a good boy who is trying his best.
> 
> I have tried four separate times to get the italics to work for that last text conversation and it fucking WON'T so I'm sorry, that's just how it is now.


End file.
